Legal Gambling Age

The legal gambling age varies from state to state in the U.S.

Depending on where you’re located, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old – though you more likely need to be at least 21 years old to gamble in most states; however, this varies by each gambling activity.

In most states, you only need to be 18 years old to play the lottery or bingo. You may also only need to be 18 years old to gamble at sportsbooks.

Since these laws are so complex, vary by state, and are constantly changing, we’ve created a handy table you can reference to see how old you need to be to gamble based on each gambling activity.

State-by-State Legal Gambling Ages

To gamble online or at land-based casinos and sportsbooks, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old or, in most cases, 21 years old.

The table below shows how old you need to be in each state where you want to gamble.

*Denotes sweepstakes casino minimum age

Minimum Gambling Age by Activity

The legal age to gamble not only varies by state but also varies by activity.

In most cases, you need to be at least 21 years old to play at real-money casinos and sportsbooks; however, these laws vary based on the type of gambling.

For sports betting, you may only need to be 18 years old in some states; in most states, you only need to be 18 years old to play the lottery and bingo.

You do not need to be a resident of the state in which you are gambling at online casinos – you simply must be physically located in the state in which you you are gambling online and the minimum age to play.

For example, a lot of New Jersey residents cross the border to play at Pennsylvania online casinos. You may also see a lot of New York residents crossing the border to play at New Jersey online casinos.

Legal Betting Age at Online Casinos

The legal age to gamble at real-money online casinos in the U.S. is 21.

So far, seven states have legalized online casino gambling, including:

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Michigan

• New Jersey

• Pennsylvania

• Rhode Island

• West Virginia

It is unlikely that any of the above states will lower the legal age for online casino gambling anytime soon.

Online gambling is regulated by each state’s gambling commission or lottery commission.

For example, Michigan online casinos are regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, whereas West Virginia online casinos are regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission.

Legal Online Sports Betting Age

Some online sportsbooks require you to be at least 21 years old to make wagers; however, these regulations vary by state and by sportsbook.

For example, the legal age to make online sports wagers in Kentucky and Washington, D.C. is 18 years old. But FanDuel only allows players who are at least 21 years old to make wagers; DraftKings allows players who are at least 18 years old to make sports wagers in Kentucky.

FanDuel allows players in Washington, D.C., who are at least 18 years old to place wagers on sports, while DraftKings requires players in Washington, D.C., to be at least 21 years old to make sportsbook wagers.

Legal Age to Play at Sweepstakes Casinos

To play at sweepstakes casinos in most states, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old.

Yet, some sweepstakes casinos require you to be at least 19 years old to play – or, in some cases, at least 21 years old to play.

For example, Stake.us only accepts players who are at least 21 years old, while Zula Casino accepts players ages 18 and over.

It is not legal to play at sweepstakes casinos in some states, like Washington State, Connecticut, and Idaho – regardless of your age.

Legal Betting Age to Play the Lottery

The lottery is operated by individual states.

In most states, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old to play the lottery; however, some states, such as Iowa, Mississippi, and Louisiana, require you to be 21.

Nebraska requires you to be at least 19 years old to purchase a lottery ticket.

These states do not operate a lottery:

• Alaska

• Alabama

• Nevada

• Utah

Legal Betting Age for Bingo

You only need to be 18 years old to play at bingo halls in most states.

Alaska requires you to be at least 19 years old to play bingo, and Nevada requires players to be at least 21 years old.

Legal Age for Playing Online Poker

At online poker rooms, including Global Poker, WSOP, and Stake.us, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old.

If you want to play poker in person at a land-based casino, you need to be at least 18 years old in some states and 21 in others.

This varies widely across the U.S., so you should check the table in the above section to see how old you need to be to play poker at a land-based casino in your state.

Legal Betting Age to Bet on Horse Racing

The minimum age to bet on horse races at racetracks across the U.S. is 18 years old; however, you need to be 21 in the following states:

• Arizona

• Iowa

• Nevada

• Texas

Betting on horse races is not legal in some states, including:

• Alaska

• Hawaii

• South Carolina

• Tennessee

• Utah

• Wisconsin

• Wyoming

In some Alabama counties, you need to be 18 years old to bet on horse races; in some counties, you need to be at least 19 years old.

Responsible Gambling and Legal Implications

It’s important for gambling institutions and players alike to abide by each state’s gambling laws.  These laws were put in place to protect minors as well as deter problem gambling.

Land-based and online gambling institutions must offer responsible gambling information and resources to players. This information can also be found on each state’s gambling control board website as well as through organizations such as the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Since online casinos and sportsbooks make it easier for players to gamble, state gambling control boards require these institutions to offer responsible gambling information and tools like deposit and playtime limits.

Consequences of Underage Gambling

If a casino or sportsbook is caught allowing minors to gamble on their websites or at a land-based site, they will face fines and potentially loss of licensure.

On the other hand, if an underage person is caught gambling, trying to gamble, or in a gambling institution, they could face fines, jail time, driver’s license suspension, or other penalties, such as probation or community service.

Adults who aid and abet underage gambling could also face jail time, criminal charges, and fines.

This could include aiding and abetting minors unknowingly. For example, if a minor logs into your online casino account, you could face charges.

How Online Casinos and Sportsbooks Confirm Players Are of Legal Age

Online casinos and sportsbooks use different modes to verify players’ ages.

Some online casinos and sportsbooks, such as FanDuel, use verification agencies to ensure you’re of legal age to gamble; others may require you to upload verification documents, such as a government-issued ID, bank statements, or utility bills to ensure you’re the minimum age to play at online casinos or sportsbooks.

If a verification agency cannot determine if you’re of legal age to gamble, you may need to upload documents before you’re allowed to play games on the site.

Sometimes, you’re asked for this information when you sign up for a player account; sometimes, this information is requested before you can launch a game.

Minimum Legal Age to Gamble in Different Countries

While the legality of gambling activities varies across the U.S., it’s a little more cut and dry in other countries around the world.

Fun fact: The no. 1 gambling country in the world is China! With a population of more than 1.4 billion residents, China also has the largest population of gamblers.

The table below shows which countries around the world have legalized gambling and the age restrictions in each country.

About the author

Darena Rodrigues

COPY EDITOR

Darena is an experienced writer with a diverse background in crafting engaging content across the entertainment, education, lifestyle and real estate industries. She has a keen interest in the world of online gambling and sports betting. With a versatile writing style and meticulous research skills, she aims to provide readers with valuable insights to enhance their understanding of the dynamic realm of the online gaming world. see more